FBK Gnat X.2 - In Search of Space. Finished Pics pg.4

[zenrat]

Ultra high altitude research aircraft using the Airfix Red Arrows Gnat (2012 mould) and parts of Hasegawa MiG 23/27s.  Thankfully they resisted the temptation to mould the Gnat in red...

1 Week Gnat - In the Beginning... by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

And here is the result of my first day's labours.  Wings are only propped in place to get Kit's juices flowing.   

1 Week Gnat WIP 11-06-2022 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

[Dizzyfugu]

Nice! It could use an extension of the tail, though? 

[zenrat]

Nice! It could use an extension of the tail, though? 

Possibly, but not in a week.

[PR19_Kit]

And here is the result of my first day's labours.  Wings are only propped in place to get Kit's juices flowing.   

LOVE it already. 

Reminds me of Weaver's Spackman Industries High Altitude Testbed, with equally long wings.

[zenrat]

Ah yes, I had forgotten that.

Mine will be...
...well lets just say there will be more of it.

Tomorrow i need to find or scratch up some podded rocket motors to claw that last little extra bit of altitude once the tanks feeding LOX into the Orpheus run dry.

[AeroplaneDriver]

Tomorrow i need to find or scratch up some podded rocket motors to claw that last little extra bit of altitude once the tanks feeding LOX into the Orpheus run dry.

When I did my Gnat cruise missile a few years ago I used the slipper tanks mounted on the trailing edge as rocket pods.  Would that work with that wing?

[zenrat]

Slipper tanks will become LOX tanks but I have found some Gundam parts which will work as boosters.

Here's where I finished today,  MiG 23/27 horizontal tails added.  Wings should go on tomorrow.  No undercarriage as I want this one in flight mounted on a Hasegawa stand.

1 Week Gnat WIP 12-06-2022 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

[zenrat]

Oh look, it's an X-Wing...

1 week Gnat WIP 13-06-2022 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

I've rethought the booster rockets ditching most of the Gundam parts.  Instead i've knocked up a couple using 1/48 tanks and bombs.  What little putty it required has been applied.

[zenrat]

Paint today.
Followed by realising I had failed to sand one spot of puttying.   

  this is what happens when you rush.

[Mossie]

British Red 5, Nigel Mansell driving?

[zenrat]

I just lost all tomorrows modelling time.
Curse real life.


However, I was looking at this earlier today and thinking "I'm liking this too much to rush it and then regret doing so.  I could get it finished by the deadline but that would mean cutting corners."

So I would like to formally withdraw from the 1WGB.
I will still be finishing it, but with a much more complex paint job then first envisaged and possibly with some custom printed transfers.

Not so much a case of biting off more than I can chew, but more enjoying the chewing so much I don't want to swallow.


Chris, can you move this please.

[Dizzyfugu]

It looks very cool - and much better than the U-2ish thing that I expected at first! 

[Flyer]

Oh so it is actually a X-Wing? I thought that pic was just fooling around while assembling, I guess the title should have been a give away...

Very cool, looking forward to this one!

[NARSES2]

Moved as per request.

[zenrat]

Originally I was just going to glue long wings onto the fuselage but then I realised having hinges would be a way to avoid PSR at the roots.
And then as I started building it I started liking it more and more.

But the reason for pulling out is because time has run out.  We have so many off sick with covid or related issues that i've been called in to do extra hours.
Spending all day Sunday at Model Expo won't help either.